Wherever you’re headed, MCN shares the best motorcycle sat navs and mobile apps to take you there

Motorcycle sat navs are now a commonplace accessory. Many motorcyclists use them for plotting routes and following directions, but also for having sight of useful guidance information as they ride. Those who don’t use a dedicated sat nav will often use an app on their mobile phone for navigation – some of which we’ll cover here – or know their way so well that they don’t need one. Physical maps are still great for planning, but obviously not for following directions on the move.

Jump to:

• What’s to love about motorcycle sat navs
• What’s not so loveable
• Motorcycle sat navs we’ve tested
• Smartphone navigation apps
• How MCN tests products
• How we test motorcycle sat navs
• What our star ratings mean

You don’t have to be following a route to be seeing lots of relevant information on the screen in front of you. As long as your sat nav is turned on you can get traffic updates, live weather on your route, nearby routes others have suggested, and so much more – depending on the model you choose. 

What’s to love about motorcycle sat navs

A motorcycle sat nav will keep you on track even when there’s no mobile signal. These devices use GPS satellites instead of cellular networks, so you can navigate through remote areas without worrying about losing service. If you’re riding in unfamiliar places, this means you won’t get lost and can find the best route to your destination—whether you want the fastest path or a more scenic ride.

They’re also designed to withstand rain, dust, extreme temperatures, and all the vibrations from your bike. This ruggedness means they can last for years once you keep updating the software.

Most sat navs have glove-friendly touch screens unlike mobile phones which can be unresponsive to gloved hands when you need them most.

Audio navigation and connectivity add another layer of convenience. Connect your sat nav to your intercom system on your helmet and you’ll have turn-by-turn guidance without having to look at the screen. You’ll also be able to play music and take calls if that’s something you enjoy during your rides.

You can also customise your ride more easily with motorcycle sat navs than with phone apps. Twisty roads, avoidances, adventurous routes, upcoming sharp turns, speed camera warnings… the list goes on. And there’s real-time information always on your screen as you ride.

What’s not so loveable

For starters, these devices can be pretty expensive. And you’ll likely need to buy accessories like mounts, cases, or integration kits, which can add up quickly. Sat navs can clutter up your handlebars or dashboard if they’re not positioned just right. They might even block your view of the instrument panel, which is less than ideal.

Then there’s the software side of things. The user interfaces on dedicated sat navs might not be as slick or intuitive as the apps you’re used to on your smartphone. Updates for maps and software might not come as often or be as seamless, which could leave you with outdated information when you need it most.

A small thing, but sat navs need charging or wiring in so that’s one more gadget to keep track of. And when you park your bike, you’ll probably want to remove it so it doesn’t get stolen. They also don’t have all the extra features your smartphone offers so you’re having to manage at least two gadgets on every ride.

• Related: Best GPS trackers

The MCN team have tried and tested sat navs from both the major manufacturers and lesser known alternatives, as well as increasingly popular options like smartphone navigation apps.

Motorcycle sat navs we’ve tested

Smartphone navigation apps

You may prefer to use your smartphone for navigation. This will be a lot cheaper than a standalone sat nav, however bear in mind that unless you download it in advance, you’ll need a strong signal for data at all times – especially if you’re going somewhere remote or heading off road. You’ll also need a dedicated mount to protect the delicate internal workings of your smartphone.

There are wide range of apps available, from direct A to B routing such as Google Maps and Waze to more specialised off road offerings like Outdooractive or the TET app. We’ve highlighted just a few here.

Google Maps

Google’s omnipresence means that just about every smartphone sold today comes with the app installed natively, and any computer can also access the same maps through a browser or an app, depending on the operating system.

Initially a clunky mapping system, it now offers up-to-date road information, real-time traffic information and turn-by-turn navigation. If you have a Google account, you can plan a trip on computer and send it to your phone to use as your navigation device on the bike. Generally, it downloads map information as you ride, but there are options to download the relevant sections to your device before you head off, to prevent a loss of navigation if you lose your mobile signal, for example.

Waze

Waze was one of the first – and most popular – alternatives to smartphone apps such as Google Maps or Apple’s notoriously inaccurate (to begin with, at least) Maps app. While not specifically aimed at motorcyclists, Waze uses open-source map data, meaning it can be updated quickly as new roads are built, and it also relies heavily on user-supplied information, particularly for traffic warnings. Its traffic avoidance is among the best out there, meaning that although you can generally get further ahead in traffic on a bike than in a car, it will still try to find the fastest route possible without straying too far from your chosen route. The app is free, and you just buy the maps you need.

What3Words

Not strictly a navigation app, but What3Words uses a three-word combination to identify any location on the planet to an accuracy of three metres, according to the producers. Many emergency services are recommending people install and learn how to use it, as it can offer an extremely accurate and easy way to give their location should they need assistance.

Once installed on a smartphone, a location can be specified using either a postcode or the correct What3words code, and a navigate button will open a route in a navigation app of choice to take you straight there. At MCN Towers, we’re grass.summer.appear

Calimoto

Calimoto combines elements of both a standalone sat nav and a smartphone-based version. Downloaded as an app to your phone, the base app is free of charge, and you get a small area of map included in the free version. The app majors on the scenic route options and includes a round-trip choice when you just want to ride and end up where you started and try new roads. However, you have to purchase maps if you want to go beyond your home location offline, and these can add up; for example, the UK without Northern Ireland is £4.99 a week or £39.99 for a year’s use. But you do get access to other users’ routes and the option to plan routes on your computer and sync to your phone.

Outdooractive

Previously known as Viewranger, Outdooractive is an outdoor route app that, while catering for walkers and cyclists, also provides routes for green-laning for motorcyclists, as well as 4×4 drivers. These are based on BOATs – Byways Open to All Traffic – and these are country lanes that are classified as roads, even though they are often more like bridleways or footpaths. This is the mapping and route system used by the Trail Riders Federation, an organisation to promote respectful and lawful trail riding in England and Wales. It’s based on Ordnance Survey maps, so is useful for all sorts of outdoor activity.

The TET app

The app for the Trans Euro Trail is pretty specialised – it maps out sections of the trail that crosses Europe on predominantly greenlanes and off-road trails. It travels from the bottom corner of Europe – almost in Africa – up to the Arctic Circle and runs through virtually every European country. There’s a real community built up around the TET, and the app, currently available for Android devices, is checked by the TET ‘linesmen’ who have ridden the full 50,000km of routes.

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How MCN tests motorcycle gear and accessories

“At MCN, our team of expert journalists have decades of experience gained over hundreds of thousands of miles. We don’t  test our motorcycle gear to destruction; we use it exactly how you do, in the real world and in all conditions, while also being on top of the key safety regulations. That means we can deliver impartial buying advice you can rely on.”

How we tested motorcycle sat navs

Each of our writers has an in-depth understanding of the needs of bikers… because we are one. We regularly test and review all motorcycle kit, including motorcycle sat navs.

To find out if a sat nav is worth spending money on we use them in the way you would. From unboxing and installing on our bikes through to learning how they work and exploring their features, we spend the time to experiment and put them to the test on the road. And we do put the miles in since we are always reviewing kit and accessories. 

We also test against various objective and subjective criteria since we each have different motorcycling passions. From adventure and touring to off-road, enduro and track, we put our kit through the paces so we can give you balanced and genuine feedback as you make your decisions.

If you can’t see a review against some of the sat navs on this page, it’s because we haven’t tested them yet. We’ve included them because we think they would be useful for our audience based on their specs and features, and based on recommendations from other bikers of navigation systems they’ve used. Rest assured, though, we will be bringing you reviews as they’ve been tried and tested by our team.

To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.

What our star ratings mean

When we review a product, we award it a score out of five. In the ratings tab of a given product, you may also find more specific scores for the different aspects of a product’s performance to help you make an informed decision. Here’s a guide to what each number score means:

• 1 star – Poor performance in this category or overall. A product with a single star rating has fallen below the expected standard and should be avoided.
• 2 stars – Basic performance in this area or overall. A product with a two-star rating has managed to perform to a barely acceptable level and there is room for improvement.
• 3 stars – An average performance in this area or overall. A product with a three-star rating has achieved a basic level of performance and is deemed adequate.
• 4 stars – A product has performed over and above the accepted averaged in this category or overall. A product with a four-star rating has surpassed expectation and delivered in a particularly impressive way.
• 5 stars – A product has performed at the highest possible level in a particular category or overall. A product with a five-star rating has delivered to the highest possible level, impressing the tester with its performance. We would happily spend our own money on it.

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